Advent Vega update availability – kind of review

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

Here’s an Advent Vega update / kind of review

I am seriously thinking about getting one of these babies.

I have an android mobile (Samsung Galaxy S) and I’m really pleased with it. I’ve downloaded lots of apps – and sadly, deleted very few. But there’s bags of room still.

So, why am I wanting an Advent Vega?

Main reason is to have something different. I was actually trying to get hold of any kind of touch-screen pc a year or so ago, but there were hardly any around. (Certainly PCWorld looked at me as if I was from another planet when I asked about them!)

advent vega

I made do with a Samsung Netbook. Now, I was actually very pleased with this, but it was quite slow for what I needed to do, and when I was looking at web pages the resolution meant that they didn’t look too good – needed to do lots of scrolling and zooming in and out.

About 6 months ago I bought a fairly powerful laptop with a 16.5 inch screen, and this is great for my online biz stuff.

So now I would like to have something that’s more for fun than biz, but which I can still use to do the odd bit of emailing, use in bed without baking my knees, etc. I’d like a change from using a trackball and mouse too.

I have considered the iPad, but it has its limitations. I don’t want to be restricted to the walled garden of Apple apps and I would like a bit more connectivity with it (perhaps the iPad2 will be better). There’s no need for me to spend out on an iPad either, even if it is better; if the Advent Vega is half the price, but not quite as slick, then it’s going to suit my pocket anyway.

There are LOADS of Advent Vega reviews if you do a Google search, so I’m not going to do that here (I can’t anyway, as I don’t have one). I’ll leave that for the true geeks.

Here are the things I have learnt to watch out for when doing searches for “Advent Vega” and “Android Tablet”:

You will be given links to much lesser products which are nothing like the Vega.

Be patient and don’t buy from eBay as they are usually much more expensive!

You can’t get Vegas anywhere in UK (at time of writing). I am told they will be back in stock soon (Twitter AdventVega).

Don’t worry about the absence of flash – there will be a fix for that.

Don’t worry that Android Market is not built in – there’s a fix via MoDaCo which most of the reviews mention.

You will be sent to lesser tablets, even on Amazon, which all appear to be just about the same but in fact use the older Android. Look for version 2.2 Froyo at least.

Must have the capacitive screen. This lets you use all the latest(ish) touchscreen gestures, especially pinch and swipe (take a look at N-Trig – N-Act multi touch. Resistive screens don’t work this way.

Some android tablets are cheaper still, with slower processors and the resistive screens.

Gingerbread – I need to check if the Vega will be upgradable to the next Android version which is supposed to be designed with the larger tablet screens in mind.

The Galaxy Tab is about twice the size of my Galaxy mobile, works just as well, it seems, but it’s not quite big enough to make that much difference. It’s also twice the price of the Advent Vega. Besides, I don’t want a small screen. The iPad screen is about right, the Advent Vegas is just as good in size. Horses for courses.

Will I wait for the next influx of 10 inch tablets? Not sure. If the Vegas come out soon I will be sorely tempted to get one straightaway. That’s just my way!

Watch this space!

More about the Advent Vega android tablet on their website: CLICK HERE